Sheffield came together last week to mark the second annual Day of Reflection, remembering those who lost their lives to Covid-19 and honouring those the city lost during the pandemic. The event, held at Balm Green Gardens, featured a memorial gathering, creative tributes, and a film screening, offering space for reflection on the lasting impact of Covid-19.
At 12 noon, a speech was led by Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council. He said: “We will reflect on the impact of the pandemic on all of us, and we will remember and honour the commitment, kindness and dedication of those who saved lives and looked after people during this incredibly difficult period.
“We acknowledge that Covid has had a disproportionate effect on some people in our society more than others and we reiterate our commitment to reflect their voices and reduce inequalities in our city.”
Sheffield Covid memorial ceremony
The memorial ceremony took place at the Covid memorial willow tree and the gathering provided an opportunity for collective reflection and remembrance, with attendees uniting to honour those affected.
Attendees were invited to decorate wooden leaves with personal tributes, which were then hung from the willow tree sculpture.
Further into his speech, Hunt said: “The permanent willow tree memorial is a place where anyone can come and reflect and we invite everyone to join us in Balm Green Gardens to remember family members, friends and colleagues.”
At 2:30 pm, the Showroom Cinema hosted a screening of Stories from the Pandemic, a documentary capturing the personal experiences of Sheffield residents during the peak of the Covid-19 crisis.
The hour-long film was followed by an optional reflective discussion in the cinema’s café and bar where attendance was free.
Reflections on Covid
Residents of Sheffield opened up with their own personal memories of the pandemic with stories of grief and reflection.
Joe Murphy, a Sheffield resident, said: “A few months into the pandemic I lost my uncle who was a paramedic, and he caught the virus while working his job. Even the funeral was a strange affair as we had to wear masks.
“It was so different for everybody as not every family was directly impacted by it and for some people it was just a long holiday, but others didn’t know whether they would have sufficient money coming in or their job may be in limbo, while also worrying about their health.
“A lot of people do look over the pandemic with a glossiness to it where they could just sit in front of their Xbox all day or get drunk.”
Covid and mental health
Not only were people’s physical health at risk but the decline in mental health was also seen over the various lockdowns faced.
The mental health charity Mind shared statistics stating that around a third of adults and young people said their mental health has gotten much worse since March 2020 and 58% of people receiving benefits said their mental health was poor.
Mind’s research concluded that those who were more likely to struggle with their mental health before the pandemic were most affected by the various lockdowns.
Alex Wood, a Sheffield resident, said: “The vast majority of people probably didn’t lose someone to Covid so there could always be an element of nostalgia for some people who had a different experience of the pandemic.”
Covid memorial willow tree
The Covid memorial willow tree, at the centre of the memorial event and created by George King of George King Architects, stands as a lasting tribute to remembrance.
Installed on 23 March 2023, the anniversary of the UK’s first lockdown, the award-winning sculpture incorporates inscribed fragments of pandemic stories shared by Sheffield residents.
The tree was chosen for its strength, flexibility, and symbolism, representing the resilience and unity demonstrated during the crisis.
Constructed in Sheffield by Steel Line Limited, the four-metre sculpture stands within a planted garden, offering a peaceful, accessible space for reflection.
The design allows people to read the inscribed messages, attach temporary tributes, or simply find a quiet moment of remembrance.
Day of reflection
This annual Day of Reflection was coordinated by Compassionate Sheffield, Sheffield City Council, and OPUS Productions, the producers of Stories from the Pandemic.
Tim Feben, the project coordinator from OPUS Productions, said: “We’ve been incredibly humbled to be able to help lead the Stories from the Pandemic project over the last couple of years. Hearing all the different stories from the people of Sheffield was quite emotional at times, particularly with stories of hardship and loss that many people experienced.
“But equally it’s a tribute to the city’s resolve to also be able to share the experiences of people who, against all adversity, rolled up their sleeves and made a difference.”
OPUS is a non-profit social enterprise founded in Sheffield in 2008 which works to create and support responses to achieve urgent systemic change by telling stories, bringing people together and demonstrating proofs of possibility.
For more details, visit Sheffield Stories for the Pandemic, where the Stories from the Pandemic film trailer remains available on Vimeo.
This will be the final chapter of the project, before all the stories will be stored in the Sheffield City Archives to form a lasting record of the pandemic.
